Office Politics
by Anita
Summary: In her time of need, Cuddy finds help in the last place she expects.


Office Politics

Wilson was knee-deep in paperwork and patients. It was Wednesday; the middle of the week, and work had started piling up. He sighed, rubbing the back of his aching neck, hoping that something would come along and save him from the drudgery of his labour.

As if on cue, Wilson's pager went off. It was Cuddy, asking him to meet her in her office. He sighed. What exactly was he getting himself into this time?

* * *

"Uh, Cuddy paged me?"

"Sure, go right in, Dr. Wilson." Cuddy's assistant cheerfully ushered him into the office.

Odd. Cuddy's assistant was never cheerful. Usually he was over-worked and highly suspicious of anyone who arrived at the office doors unannounced and out of the blue.

Before Wilson could question this abnormal behaviour, he heard Cuddy call to him, beckoning him inside. He mentally shrugged it off and continued toward her desk.

"Hey." He greeted.

"Wilson, thanks for coming. I know you're busy, but I just needed to steal you away for a few minutes." Cuddy said with a smile.

Wilson frowned. Cuddy was not acting like herself either. There was definitely something going on here.

"Am I getting fired?" He joked.

Now it was Cuddy's turn to look confused. "What are you talking about, Wilson?"

"Something is definitely going on here." Wilson replied suspiciously. "I'd just like to know what it is."

He looked out of Cuddy's office windows to see her assistant packing up, ready to leave for the day.

"Wait, why is your assistant leaving already? It's only lunchtime."

"I just need some peace and quiet. I'm taking the rest of the day off, so I gave him the day off as well." Cuddy answered quietly.

Wilson's expression of bewilderment turned into one of concern. "Cuddy, what's wrong?"

She sighed. "There **is** something going on, James."

* * *

Cameron convinced herself that she hated Wednesdays. Actually, that wasn't true, she usually didn't mind Wednesdays; it was just this particular Wednesday that she hated. Nothing had quite gone her way all day, and to top it off, she was feeling sore all over.

And now her patient's parents were refusing to allow any tests to be done on their son. They claimed that as important benefactors to the hospital they had earned the right to refuse putting their child through any discomfort. Even if it meant leaving their child to die.

Cameron was at a loss. She had tried talking to the couple, tried to convince them that they were making an extremely foolish decision, but they had turned a deaf ear to all of her pleas.

Cameron decided it was time to get Cuddy involved. If they were such big donors, then maybe Cuddy would have a better understanding of how to deal with them.

* * *

Cuddy caught herself anxiously playing with the pen she held in her hand. She set it down on her desk and turned her eyes toward Wilson once more, taking a deep breath.

"You know I've been trying to get pregnant…" Cuddy started off, studying Wilson's face for any reaction. He simply nodded for her to continue.

"I've been trying for almost a year now, and it hasn't been easy." She looked at Wilson apprehensively. "I just really needed to tell someone."

"What is it, Cuddy?"

"I decided that enough was enough. I needed to know one way or the other. I had my FSH test done, a clomiphene test, and a gynecologic ultrasonography as well, just be on the safe side, but it's been obvious, every time. The results are all the same. I just can't –" She stopped short, unable to say anything more.

"You have a diminished ovarian reserve." Wilson finished for her. It was not a question, it was fact.

"I know that once you reach a certain age, chances of normal fertilization decrease tremendously, I just didn't think that my time had come yet…"

"Cuddy…" Wilson reassuringly took her hand in his. "It doesn't have to end like this, you know that. Do you still want to have kids?"

She smiled to herself bitterly. "Of course."

"Then you know the alternatives. You may not be able to bear a child on your own, but there are still plenty of options." He squeezed her hand. "You can't give up now."

"Thank you."

"I'm glad you told me. You know I'm here if you need me, Lisa." With that, Wilson strode out of her office.

* * *

Cameron turned on her heels quickly, turning her back to Wilson as he stepped out of Cuddy's office. He was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice Cameron or anyone else who was nearby.

Had she heard correctly? Cameron swore that she had overheard Cuddy and Wilson discussing pregnancies, specifically Cuddy's attempts at becoming pregnant. The Dean of Medicine had been trying to get pregnant for almost a year, and none of them had known or even noticed? Cameron was unconvinced, certain that her mind was playing tricks with her. She needed to find out for herself.

* * *

Wilson stared at the endless paperwork on his desk, unable to concentrate. His 'meeting' with Cuddy had left him shocked. He knew how delicate her situation was, and it upset him to see such a strong-minded woman struck down time and again by circumstance. It hurt him even more knowing that there was nothing he could do.

Suddenly, Cameron burst into his office, quickly shutting the door.

"Cameron, what's going on? Is it a patient?" Wilson asked.

"You were just talking to Cuddy."

Wilson hid the panic he began to feel rising in his stomach. He could not let it seep into his words. "Yes, I was. And?"

Cameron bit her lip absent-mindedly before finally letting her curiosity get the best of her. "Cuddy has been trying to get pregnant?"

Wilson let his shoulders drop. He didn't need this, not now. Cameron did tend to stick her nose in affairs that did not concern her, and she was always persistent. She never let anything go if her mind was set on it. Wilson knew he had to stop her before she even started.

"Cameron, whatever you heard, just try to forget it." Wilson advised. "Cuddy doesn't need anyone interfering in her life right now. She needs time to heal."

"But Wilson, if you just let me talk to her, I can try to help! I promise I won't –"

"I'm sorry, Cameron. Please, just keep this to yourself." Wilson interjected.

Cameron's eyes flashed with something hard, something Wilson could not identify. "No, I'm sorry, Wilson. I can't do that."

Cameron hurried out of Wilson's office as he rubbed his temples in frustration. This day was getting worse by the second.

* * *

Chase sat at the conference room table, bored out of his mind. This day had been one of the most uneventful in a long time. He debated leaving the room and heading for pediatrics. At least they had comfier chairs to sit on. And they had a big screen television. If he was going to sit around and waste time, he might as well do it in style.

Chase chewed on his pencil in deep thought as Cameron stormed into the room.

"What's wrong Cameron? Is the patient alright?" Chase queried.

"The patient's fine." Cameron mumbled back distractedly.

"Then what's wrong?" Chase asked her, puzzled.

"It's Cuddy."

That was the last thing he was expecting to hear. "What happened to Cuddy?"

Cameron took a seat next to Chase. "Cuddy has been trying to get pregnant for the past year. I caught her and Wilson talking in her office. And now they found out that she definitely can't have children, and they don't want anyone else to know."

"Then why are you telling me?" Chase exclaimed. Cameron was acting stranger than usual.

Cameron sighed and crossed her arms. "Because we have to help her, Chase."

"What are you talking about? Since when are you the first person to come to Cuddy's rescue? And I don't want to get involved in my boss' personal life, especially if she doesn't want me to!"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "She's not your boss."

"Well, she can still fire me." Chase clarified.

"Look, Chase, we can help her, we have to!" Cameron insisted.

"How in the world can we help her? What exactly are you talking about, Cameron?"

"…I'm pregnant."

* * *

Cuddy paced back and forth through her office as Wilson explained himself.

"I'm sorry to bring this to you with everything else that's going on, but it's probably better you know now rather than later when it all explodes in our faces." Wilson sighed.

"Did Cameron tell anyone else?" Cuddy knew that Cameron did tend to enjoy sharing her knowledge with her colleagues.

"I honestly don't know. But I wouldn't be surprised if she did."

Now it was Cuddy's turn to sigh. Things were definitely not going her way. "Fine, we'll figure something out. I guess we can call Cameron in here and –"

Cuddy stopped short as Cameron and Chase marched into the room.

"Dr. Cuddy, we have something important we need to discuss with you." Cameron began as Chase closed the office doors behind them.

"You told Chase? Why am I not surprised?" Cuddy replied in exasperation.

"It's a good thing she told me. This may work out well for all of us." Chase insisted.

Cuddy knew that if Chase was here now, willing to put his job on the line, that this was more than mere gossip fodder. Chase and Cameron had an idea.

"What are you two talking about?"

Chase gave Cameron a reassuring nod and she looked to Cuddy. "When Chase and I were together…we…I…we're pregnant."

Cuddy felt a stab pierce deep into her heart. She had been trying for months to get pregnant, and now Cameron was carrying a child through some sort of fluke. Cuddy could not help but bitterly wonder why the universe was so vindictive.

"Congratulations." Cuddy managed, shaking her head in confusion. Why were they bringing her this news? Hadn't she suffered enough? She chided herself. She wasn't usually this cynical, but then again, it had definitely not been her day.

"Cuddy, we talked about it and we decided that we want you to have the baby." Cameron finished, looking to the Dean of Medicine expectantly.

Cuddy gaped at them in pure shock. That had not been anything close to what she had been expecting Cameron to tell her.

Chase placed a hand on Cameron, calming her eagerness slightly. "You don't need to decide right away. Just know that the offer is there if you choose to take it." He elaborated. "We think you would be an excellent mother for our child."

Wilson looked to Cuddy, but she had no words. They were caught in her throat, unable to reach their destination. Wilson encouragingly squeezed her hand as Cuddy bit back a sob. She had been fighting for almost a year for a child, but she had done it alone. She had never realized that if she had simply reached out, she might have found what she needed all along.

"Thank you." It was all she had, but not nearly enough to express her gratitude.

* * *

It had been a few very long months. It had been hard enough avoiding the stares and whispers once the rumours had gone around, but now that Cuddy was in labour, the entire hospital was in chaos.

Chase watched Cameron wring her hands anxiously. She had been more worried than Cuddy as the delivery date had neared. He placed his hand on her back, making sure she understood he was there.

Nurse Brenda emerged from the delivery room. "Chase? Cameron? Cuddy would like to see you." She told them as they scurried past her in haste.

Cuddy smiled warmly as they entered the room. She was visibly drained, but there was still a glimmer of pride and determination in her eyes. She was a tough woman in every sense of the word.

"Cameron, would you like to hold her?" Cuddy asked. Cameron nodded, stepping closer and taking the newborn in her arms.

"She's beautiful." Cameron whispered, caressing the child's cheek lovingly. Chase watched the scene in slight awe. He had a daughter.

"You can see her whenever you would like to."

"She's not our daughter, she's yours." Chase corrected with an impish smile.

"She's **all** of ours." Cuddy agreed, returning the grin. "Now if you don't mind, you kids can take her. I really need some rest right now."

Cameron took Cuddy's hand in her own and smiled briefly at Chase before leaving. Chase gave Cuddy a respectful nod before he closed on Cameron's heels.

* * *

"Can you believe we created this life?" Cameron asked Chase once they had reached a quiet place away from prying eyes.

"It's…incredible." Chase admitted, taking the child from Cameron's arms.

Cameron watched him intently as he cradled the baby. He would make a good father, she could tell. He had the natural instinct; he was caring and gentle. Nothing like his own father had been. She smiled to herself. They had both grown so much in the past few months.

"Aren't you going to tell me that you like me and you want us to be together?" Cameron asked him, a glint in her eye.

"But why, Cameron? It's Wednesday." Chase replied, confusion clear on his face.

"I know. I like Wednesdays."

He nodded, the smile on his face growing as she kissed him chastely on the cheek. He deserved a second chance after all they had been through. He had stood by her through it all. He deserved more than she had given him. She smiled back at him.

"She has your eyes." Chase noted.

* * *

Wilson walked into the room to find Cuddy and her newborn child fast asleep. It had been one hell of a ride, and things were going to get harder before they got easy, but Wilson knew that if anyone could do it, it was Cuddy.

"Hey." Cuddy murmured as she stirred from her nap.

"Hey." Wilson replied with a smile. "You're supposed to be asleep."

She shook her head. "I can't sleep."

"You're going to be awake every night from now on, you should be taking every moment of peace and quiet you can get!" Wilson advised with a laugh.

She nodded but seemed lost in thought.

"What's wrong?"

"I just…I hope I can be a good mother. Cameron and Chase have given me an incredible gift, and I don't want to let them down. I don't want to let **her** down…"

"Lisa, if there's anyone who can pull off being the Dean of Medicine and also being the world's best mother, it's definitely you." Wilson assured her, eliciting an appreciative smile.

Cuddy gave him a small laugh "You always know how to make me feel better, James."

"It's all I'm good for." Wilson joked, taking her hand in his own. "I'll be there whenever you need me."

"I know. Thank you. For everything."

And for once, he felt as if the world was standing still, and everything had finally fallen into place.


End file.
